Self-inquiry May 7, 2023

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Self-inquiry Meetup

Sunday, May 7, 2023

With Harshad Parekh

At KECC

 

This meeting was held on the front lawn at the Metchosin location of the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada. It was the first time this year that the weather had supported an outside meeting. The facilitator was Harshad Parekh, who is visiting the Centre from his usual place of residence in India. There were six of us present to enjoy the sunshine, the gentle breeze (a little cool sometimes), and the sounds of nature, including many bird songs. It was remarked that being outdoors induced a sense of connection with a larger space of the environment than could be experienced at indoor meetings, which usually feel more limited and less expansive.

Harshad opened the meeting by asking if participants had any pressing questions they would like to discuss or would they like to have him read a passage from a Krishnamurti book and talk about what K’s meaning is when he writes or talks about self-knowledge and self-understanding. One participant said she would like to explore the application of spiritual teachings to the living of them in our everyday life. This seems to be a very common question for spiritual “seekers” who wish to make the teachings real for themselves. This led to a discussion of meditation and what K is referring to if and when he uses the word. Harshad and others shared some of their understandings about the value of a quiet mind and the beauty that can be experienced when there is silence in the consciousness and one can then be in closer contact with nature and one’s own beingness. Several people spoke about Krishnamurti’s use of the “negative” approach when he talks about what something is not rather than what it is. Participants gave examples of their realisations of this truth and how it had affected their lives. They expressed appreciation for the benefits of such “meditation” and its place in the unfolding of their lives. There was also some appreciation for Harshad’s capacity to speak of such things in an effective manner.

We look forward to more such dialogues on the grounds of the Krishnamurti Centre.

DB